Vehicle shoulder harness arrangement

ABSTRACT

A shoulder harness type occupant restraint arrangement for a motor vehicle including an outboard belt segment having one of its ends secured to vehicle body structure above and behind a forward facing passenger seat. Carried by this belt segment is a collar slidable along the length of the belt segment and adapted to be positioned on that portion of the belt segment that is proximate the neck of a seated passenger. This collar maintains a portion of the belt segment in an arcuate configuration to prevent chafing of the belt edge against the passenger.

United States Patent 72 Inventor George M. Pavliscak lnkster, Mich.

[21 1 Appl. No. 804,882

[22] Filed Mar. 6,1969

[45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Ford Motor Company Dearborn,Mich.

[54] VEHICLE SHOULDER HARNESS ARRANGEMENT 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 297/389, 128/94, 128/149, 297/385 [5|] lnLCl B60r2l/l0 [50]Field of Search 297/385, 384; 128/94, 149

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,293 6/1966 Sharp297/389 3.291.528 12/1966 Sencabaugh 297/385 FOREIGN PATENTS 239,0787/l964 Austria 297/389 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay AssistantExaminer-James C. Mitchell Attorneys-E. Dennis OConnor and .John R.Faulkner ABSTRACT: A shoulder harness type occupant restraintarrangement for a motor vehicle including an outboard belt segmenthaving one of its ends secured to vehicle body structure above andbehind a forward facing passenger seat. Carried by this belt segment isa collar slidable along the length of the belt segment and adapted to bepositioned on that portion of the belt segment that is proximate theneck of a seated passenger. This collar maintains a portion of the: beltsegment in an arcuate configuration to prevent chafing of the belt edgeagainst the passenger.

PATENTED man an mmm rai d m m. M Zn VEHICLE SHOULDER HARNESS ARRANGEMENTBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional motor vehicle shoulder harnessrestraining arrangements include an outboard belt segment having one ofits ends attached to the vehicle roof rail or a body pillar. Becausethis belt segment is adapted to be positioned diagonally across thetorso of a passenger seated on a conventional, forward facing passengerseat, this point of attachment is above the height of the shoulders ofthe seated passenger. Also, because the shoulder harness mustaccommodate passengers of various physical dimensions who position theirseat at all possible seat positions, this point of attachment must belocated behind the vehicle seat when this seat is located in its mostrearward point of adjustment.

When in use, the outboard belt segment thus extends from the point ofattachment, forward and down to a point proximate the neck of the seatedpassenger. From the neck of the passenger, the outboard belt segmentextends down and across the torso of the passenger.

It readily may be appreciated that such an orientation of the outboardbelt segment requires a bend in the belt segment. This bend is locatedproximate the neck and shoulder junction of the passenger. A bend in thebelt segment requires, of course, contact between the belt segment andthe passenger. This contact may give rise to an annoying and bothersomechafing of the edge of the flat belt segment webbing against the neckand/or shoulder of the passenger.

While this chafing may not occur to a sufficient degree to prove overlybothersome to a passenger who positions the seat in a more forwardposition will find the incidence and severity of this chafing quitegreat. This is because a forward seat position requires a greater bendin the outboard belt segment and thus a greater degree of contactbetween this segment and the passenger.

It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle shoulder harnessarrangement operative to restrain movement of a vehicle passenger andthat may be utilized by a passenger without an incidence of discomfort.In particular, the shoulder harness arrangement of this invention may beused without a chafing of the edge of the outboard belt segment webbingagainst the neck and/or shoulder of the restrained passenger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A shoulder harness arrangement constructed inaccordance with this invention is adapted for use in a motor vehiclehaving body structure defining a passenger compartment and a forwardfacing passenger seat located within this compartment. The restrainingmeans include an outboard shoulder harness belt segment having one ofits ends secured to the body structure above and behind the seat. Thebelt segment is adapted to be positioned transversely across thetorso ofa vehicle passenger seated on the seat and to cooperate with an inboardbelt segment to limit movement of the passenger. A portion of theoutboard belt segment, located intermediate the ends of the segment, isadapted to be positioned proximate the neck of the passenger. Beltshaping means are carried by theoutboard belt segment and maintain theoutboard belt segment portion proximate the neck of the passenger in anarcuate configuration. This belt shaping means is movable along thelength of the outboard belt segment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a isometric view of a portion of amotor vehicle passenger compartment showing a seated vehicle passengerutilizing the vehicle shoulder harness arrangement of this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the vehicle shoulder harness arrangementof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 of thedrawings wherein is illustrated a portion of a motor vehicle passengercompartment. the numeral 4 denotes the floor of the passengercompartment. A forward facing passenger seat 6 is secured to floor 4 andis occupied by a passenger 8. The passenger 8 is restrained againstmovement by conventional motor vehicle passenger restraining meansincluding a lap belt arrangement It), and a shoulder harness arrangementincluding an inboard belt segment I2 and an outboard belt segment 14.The shoulder harness belt segments are joined together by conventionalbuckling means (not considered a part of this invention).

One end 16 of outboard belt segment 14 is secured by a mounting member18 to the vehicle roof rail 20 such that the effective point ofattachment between belt segment I4 and roof rail 20 is at -22. Thispoint of attachment 22 is located rearwardly of the vehicle seat 6 whenthis seat is positioned in its most rearward point of adjustment. Italso may be observed that point of attachment 22 is located verticallyabove the shoulder height of passenger 8.

It may be appreciated that when shoulder harness belt segment 14 is inthe operative position illustrated, this belt segment extends forwardlyand down from point of attachment 22 to the neck-shoulder junction ofthe passenger 8. From this point, segment 14 extends down and across thetorso of passenger 8. This orientation of belt segment I4 requires abend in the segment located near the neck of the passenger 8. This bendcan be accomplished, of course, only by contact between the belt segmentand the passenger.

Belt segment I4 is formed'from'conventional vehicle belt webbing havinga flat configuration. The requisite contact between this contact and theneck-shoulder junction of passenger 8 frequently occasions a chafingbetween the edge of the belt webbing and the person of the passenger 8in conventional shoulder harness arrangements.

Such chafing is prevented in the instant shoulder harness arrangement bythe use of belt shaping means comprising a collar 26. Collar 26 ispositioned about belt segment I4 prior to the installation of the beltsegment in the vehicle. As may be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, collar 26 hasan inside diameter having a circumference substantially equal to thewidth of belt segment 24. This relationship allows collar 26 to positionand maintain a portion 24 of belt segment M in a circular configuration.

Collar 26 is slidable along the length of belt segment I4. This slidablecharacteristic of collar 26 allows the latter to be located such thatthe belt segment portion 24 that is held in a circular configuration isthat portion of belt segment I4 that lies proximate to the neck-shoulderjunction of the passenger, regardless of where the passenger positionsseat 6.

Contact between arcuate belt segment portion 24 and the person ofpassenger 8 does not occasion a bothersome or annoying chafing. Therounded configuration of belt segment 24 does not admit to aconcentration of contact forces as would contact between the belt edge,having a relatively small surface area, and the person of passenger 8.

lclaim:

1. Occupant restraining means adapted for use in a motor vehicle havingbody structure defining a passenger compartment and a forward facingpassenger seat located within said compartment, said restraining meanscomprising: an outboard shoulder harness belt segment having one of itsends secured to said body structure above and rearwardly of said seat,said belt segment adapted to be positioned transversely across the torsoof a vehicle passenger seated on said seat and to cooperate with aninboard belt segment to limit movement of said passenger, a portion ofsaid outboard belt segment located intermediate the ends thereof adaptedto be positioned proximate the neck of said passenger, and a collarcarried by said outboard belt segment and maintaining said outboard beltsegment portion in an arcuate configuration said outboard belt segmentextending through said collar and said 1, wherein said arcuateconfiguration is circular and wherein said collar is circular and has aninside circumference substantially equal to the width of said outboardbelt segment.

1. Occupant restraining means adapted for use in a motor vehicle havingbody structure defining a passenger compartment and a forward facingpassenger seat located within said compartment, said restraining meanscomprising: an outboard shoulder harness belt segment having one of itsends secured to said body structure above and rearwardly of said seat,said belt segment adapted to be positioned transversely across the torsoof a vehicle passenger seated on said seat and to cooperate with aninboard belt segment to limit movement of said passenger, a portion ofsaid outboard belt segment located intermediate the ends thereof adaptedto be positioned proximate the neck of said passenger, and a collarcarried by said outboard belt segment and maintaining said outboard beltsegment portion in an arcuate configuration, said outboard belt segmentextending through said collar and said collar being movable along thelength of said outboard belt segment.
 2. The occupant restraining meansin accordance with claim 1, wherein said arcuate configuration iscircular and wherein said collar is circular and has an insidecircumference substantially equal to the width of said outboard beltsegment.